While I had him on the phone, though, I asked him for a few thoughts on the Raiders’ on-the-field performance so far, heading into the bye week 2-4 and with interesting/intriguing signs from QB Terrelle Pryor and the rebuilt defense.

What I did NOT ask Davis about, and regretted it almost instantly, is GM Reggie McKenzie’s decision to acquire Matt Flynn and pay him $6.5M, only for Flynn to lose his job to Pryor and then be released.

I just forgot. My oops there. (I’m sure Reggie appreciates that!)

Here are snippets from the football questions and answers…

-Q: What are your thoughts on Terrelle Pryor’s play in the first portion of the season? I know you were an early supporter of his…

-DAVIS: I’ve liked him all the way. Always liked him. He’s a young guy who works his butt off and he wants to be a great player.

Confidence is a word I’ve used in the past with him and I’ll use it again. It’s an important attribute for a quarterback, I think, and he has it.

It’s fun to watch right now. I like him a lot.

-Q: What about overall thoughts on a team that has played better than expected—are you happy with the work Dennis Allen has done, especially with the defense?

-DAVIS: I said from the beginning of the year, it was going to be interesting to watch this defense, nine new starters, and just see what happens.

And they have done a fantastic job so far. Everybody on the defense has done a good job.

It’s a defense that takes risks—we don’t have that one guy to rush the passer, so they have to take risks to get to the quarterback. But they’re doing a great job with it. They’re playing really well.

That’s the exciting part for me.

And do you know what player I really like? He’s really playing well.

-Q: Who?

-DAVIS: No. 22.

-Q: So, 22, that’d be… I think… Taiwan Jones?

-DAVIS: Yes sir. He’s doing good things every time I see him out there.

-Q: If he could play cornerback, he could do some things. But I think he’s mainly going to be a special teams guy, right?